VC fund backed by sanctioned oligarch Roman Abramovich appears to have removed all information from its website

March 26, 2022

VC fund backed by sanctioned oligarch Roman Abramovich appears to have removed all information from its website

Russian billionaire and businessman Roman Abramovich attends meeting with representatives of business community and business associations at the Kremlin, in Moscow — Roman Abramovich.
Mikhail Svetlov/Getty Images

A VC fund backed by a sanctioned oligarch appears to have wiped information from its website.
On March 14, Impulse VC's website was still operating, per a search on Wayback Machine.
CNBC reported that the fund seemed to be trying to remove all traces of its operations.

Impulse VC, a venture capital fund backed by sanctioned oligarch Roman Abramovich, appears to have altered its website to remove details about its operations. At the time of writing, only the company's name appeared when Insider checked the website.

CNBC first reported the news that the fund appeared to be trying to remove any trace of its operations.

Abramovich is among sanctioned Russian billionaires imposed by the UK and the EU, amid Russia's war in Ukraine. He is the owner of Chelsea FC and has tried to stay off-radar since the first sanctions hit.

Impulse VC has offices in Russia and Germany. Launched in 2013, it provides funding and operational support to technology and media companies, per Crunchbase.

However, the investment fund's website was still operating on March 14, per a search on Wayback Machine.

Impulse VC did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment made outside of normal working hours.

Charles Myers, the chairman of advisory firm Signum Global Advisors, said in an interview to CNBC that he didn't see how VC funds would be exempt from the sanctions. "So if Abramovich is sanctioned in the US, the VC and private equity funds will have to disgorge his capital which will be seized and frozen by the United States Treasury," he said.

According to Tadviser, described as a Russian internet portal and analytical agency, one of Impulse's first investors was Abramovich.

Meanwhile, Insider previously reported that the ownership of the company Norma Investments was transferred from Abramovich to David Davidovich the day Russia invaded Ukraine. Abramovich is one of the wealthiest oligarchs, whose superyachts' whereabouts have been closely monitored.

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